A/N: So... I opened a blank document and this is what happened. I really enjoyed the Doctor Horrible show, I thought it was funny and sad and really cute. Hopefully I've sort of captured this here. Thoughts?
He was floating.
Floating in a sea of darkness and light, blending together into one hazy shimmer.
A voice drifted down through this sea, penetrating the haze and registering in his dull thoughts.
"Billy?"
Yes, he tried to say, but the words wouldn't come out.
"Billy, wake up!" The voice was light and feminine. It prickled in the back of his mind, bringing vague memories of pain and heartbreak and bitter victory.
"Mmf," he managed to get out. His eyelids slowly drifted open and pale green eyes looked down at him concernedly.
"Oh my gosh, Billy, are you alright?"
Tears pricked at Billy's eyes as he saw the woman standing over him. She interpreted it as pain and grew more worried.
"P-Penny? Is that you?" He asked in a quiet, vulnerable voice. It can't be her. It isn't her. She's dead. Don't hope.
"Yeah, Billy, it's me," she said, confusion creeping into her voice. "How hard did you hit your head?"
"I hit my head?" Billy blinked. A wince crossed his features as the throbbing registered.
"Yes," Penny said softly. A small piece of her red hair fell into her eyes. She was sitting on her knees next to him, one hand on his shoulder. Billy started to rise, but she pressed down with the hand. "Don't get up yet. You fell hard, you could be hurt."
Billy obeyed her direction quickly, content for the moment to just gaze at her. It wasn't like this was the first time he'd dreamed about since she'd- since that day, but this just felt more real somehow.
"What happened?" He asked.
"I think you spilled your fabric softener," she said with a faint smile teasing her mouth. Then concern snapped back on. "You took a step and slipped and I think you hit your head when you fell."
"Oh," Billy said, confused. "How long was I out?"
"Just a couple of minutes," she said. "But I was getting ready to call 911 if you didn't wake up. This is the second time you've fallen this week; you've got to be careful, Billy, it can't be good for you."
Billy's eyes softened that she was concerned for him, but he had to smack himself out of it mentally. It's just a dream.
"I feel okay, there's just one sore spot," Billy said slowly. Penny nodded and gently helped him to sit and then stand.
"Are you dizzy?" She asked worriedly as he blinked disconcertedly.
"A little," he admitted. It took a moment, but he regained his balance. He looked around the laundromat and then at Penny. The Horrible day flashed in his mind, and his eyes dropped to the ground. She looked so alive now; she made everything else look more alive too. He still went to the laundromat every Wednesday and Saturday, one tiny corner of his mind still irrationally hoping to see her there.
And now he finally was. She touched his shoulder and he looked up quickly. "Oh look, fabric softener," he said, pointing to a small bluish puddle on the ground.
Penny laughed. "Yeah," she said. She checked her watch. "Well, look at the time. Are you sure you're alright?" She asked, picking up her basket of white, folded laundry.
"Yeah..." Billy frowned slightly. "Where are you going?" Don't leave.
"To get ready for the date," she said, as if he should've already known this.
"Oh." Billy tried not to look too upset. Even in his dreams, she was dating Hammer.
"Shouldn't you go get ready too?" Penny asked with a slightly amused look.
"Why?" Billy asked a little hopelessly, trying to give her a smile in return.
"Because you have fabric softener all over your back, and I'd prefer you not pick me up like that," she said with a bell-like laugh. "See you soon."
She walked out of the laundromat, leaving Billy leaning against the drier in surprise. See you soon? Pick her up?
It took a moment for the meaning of the words to register, but when it did, a slow, delighted smile spread across Billy's face. Even if it was a dream, he would be going on a date with Penny. With a sense of euphoria that he hadn't experienced in a long time (maybe not since the first time he'd brought her yogurt all those weeks ago), Billy gathered up his clothes and started back to his apartment.
"Moist?" He greeted his friend with a slightly puzzled expression.
"Hey, Doc," said Moist. Billy smiled sideways at him, glad to see the man again. He'd been temporarily absent from Doctor Horrible's life, not wanting to become entangled with the League.
"Hi." Billy glanced around. This dream apartment looked the same. He rubbed the back of his head and winced when his fingers ran over the bump. It was strange, everything felt sharp here. Unnatural, but real at the same time.
"Did you see Penny at the laundromat?" Moist asked.
"Yeah," said Billy, voice faintly dreamy.
"Are you still going out?" Moist wiped his soggy hands on a towel and soaked it.
Billy paused. "Are we officially going out?" He inquired curiously.
"I'd say so," Moist said with a slightly awkward shrug. "You'd been on what, six dates in a row?"
Billy realized that Moist wanted a confirmation and nodded. "Oh. Yeah, yeah, that sounds about right."
"Cool. Well, I hope you don't mind if I use the apartment. A couple of my... friends are coming over."
"Oh, that's fine," Billy said. Frowning, he ran a hand through his hair and walked through the living room and into his bedroom. This felt so real. But it couldn't be real... could it? If he had hit his head before today, maybe that had messed up his memories. Maybe the speech hadn't been real. Maybe...
"Stop," he commanded himself aloud. He couldn't start that. It would just lead to more disappointment in the end. Billy took a quick shower and went to find clean clothing.
"That's odd," he murmured as he smoothed his hands over the white Doctor Horrible coat. The new red one was nowhere to be found. He put on a nicer t-shirt and some dark jeans, quickly combing his hair and slipping on tennis shoes. Moist wandered into the room.
"Aren't you gonna be late?" He asked, eating a sandwich that was sagging to one side from the moisture.
"What do you mean?" Billy asked. He checked his wrist and realized he wasn't wearing a watch, as usual.
"You usually pick her up at four-thirty."
Billy glanced at the wall clock. 4:13. "Oh." He hurriedly shut his closet and started to leave. "Thanks, Moist, have a fun time!"
"Yep."
Billy scurried from the apartment and down the street before realizing that he had no idea where Penny lived. He'd only ever seen her in the laundromat, and that one time in the alleyway.
Standing in the middle of the sidewalk in frustration, Billy had a sudden thought. Perhaps, if they really were going out, he'd likely have something about her in his cell phone. Feeling rather silly for not having realized this sooner, Billy pulled out his phone and gratefully read her address.
Walking quickly, he made okay time getting there. He knocked on the door and stepped back nervously, hands in his pockets. After a moment that felt very long, Penny opened the door.
"Hi, Billy," she said with a smile.
"Hey." He coughed and smiled back. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes," she said. "Let me just get my jacket." She disappeared back into the apartment for a moment. Billy let out a quiet sigh. Within a few seconds, she was back and her breath fogged slightly in front of her as she took his arm.
"How are you?" Penny asked him, eyebrows raising as she glanced at the back of his head.
"I'm alright," he assured her with a sheepish smile. "How're you?" Penny smiled.
"Good," she said contentedly.
"There's this nice little place about a mile over," said Billy. "I was thinking we could, uhm, go there."
"That sounds perfect," said Penny kindly.
Billy inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't known what to expect. "Alright," he said. "Well, that's good."
Penny laughed. "Yes, it is," she said. They got into a cab and drove toward the diner.
The next two hours were quite possibly the happiest of Billy's life, even if it was a dream. Having dinner with Penny was a hundred times better even than the few times they'd eaten frozen yogurt together. She was funny, sweet, beautiful. After dinner, they went out to the park and just walked in the low streetlight.
"So, Billy," said Penny, "how's your head?"
"Hm?" Billy looked up distractedly, her arm in his. "Oh." He gave a smile. "It's good."
"That's good," she said with a light laugh. Billy took in the sound happily, steering them toward a small park bench near some trees. They sat down and Penny leaned slightly against him, shivering. "Ooh, it got cold."
Billy hesitated briefly before putting one arm around her shoulders and she smiled. He watched her as she looked up at the sky. "Aren't the stars beautiful?" She asked in a contented voice.
"Yeah," Billy agreed. "You are."
Penny looked at him, surprised, and he felt his cheeks heat up. "I-uhm-"
"Shh," she said amusedly, green eyes sparkling softly. "Thank you. For this, it was perfect."
Billy nodded sincerely. He held her gaze for a moment, then leaned in and kissed her gently. She tasted like the light, minty ice cream they'd eaten for dessert and she smelled like her flowery fabric softener. Her soft hands brushed through his hair and rested on his neck before they broke away and sat back again in peaceful silence.
Billy was in a slightly dreamy state as he walked her home a little while later. They paused to cross the street, and when the crosswalk light flashed, they stepped forward. There was a flash of light and a burst of sound, and Billy felt himself hit the sidewalk. He saw Penny standing over him, the light shining behind her, and then everything went dark.
He was floating again.
This time, it was just a big mess of darkness and confusion and pain.
Billy let out a quiet "mmhm," and he vaguely felt his finger twitch.
Someone said something from outside of the mess; it sounded sort of like his name. Slowly, his eyes opened. "Penny?" He asked, blinking to bring the image into place.
He saw Moist sitting across from him, looking twitchy and rather serious. "No. It's, uhm, me."
Billy rested his head back on the pillow, glancing around the hospital room. "Oh, hi, Moist. Is Penny here?"
Moist blinked a few times before answering. "Are you alright? Did you... did you forget?"
It took a moment for Moist's words to make sense, and Doctor Horrible clenched his teeth. So it really had been his imagination, and now it was over.
"Never mind," said Doctor Horrible, letting his eyes drift over the bland hospital room. "What happened?"
"I heard from Professor Normal that your latest plan went sort of... wrong," said Moist. "Fake Thomas Jefferson and you were working together, and his van hit you. That was yesterday."
"Ah." Doctor Horrible tried to avoid the conflicting feelings that were rushing through him. His mind wasn't on the present, the accident. All he could think about was red hair and a soft voice. Tears pricked behind his eyes.
"You okay?" His friend sounded sincerely concerned.
He leaned his head back against the pillow and turned his head toward the wall.
"Doc? What happened?"
Billy shook his head, rusting the smooth pillowcase and trying to block out the pain that came from everywhere.
"Nothing," he said softly, the sound of Penny's laugh echoing in his ears. "It was nothing. Just a dream."